By having the city clerk rather than the city itself as the official plaintiff, Costa Mesa avoided obligations under state law to notify the public that it was considering the suit, to allow the public to address the City Council on the issue and to announce at a public meeting that city leaders had decided to file the suit.

Superior Court Judge Franz Miller denied the request earlier on Tuesday, which effectively means the charter will instead go before voters at November’s general election.

— NICK GERDA

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